Langston Hughes An Early Autumn Analysis

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This essay will examine the short story an early autumn by Langston Hughes. Hughes was a playwright poet no Vectis and a writer of short stories. In this short story the author describes the chance meeting between foremen boyfriend and girlfriend in New York City. Using literary element he portrays a moment in time that reveals years of regret. The setting of this story takes place in autumn In NYC. Autumn or fall is often seen as the end of something. In this short story two former sweethearts bump into each other in Washington square. This could be the rekindling of the old flame or the extinguishing of a long head spark the two may have been carrying for each other. This was the autumn or final scene between these two characters the …show more content…

The results of this unresolved conflict become clear in the final two sentences of the first paragraph. Impulsively she had married a man she thought she loved. Bill went away bitter about women. The two characters Mary and bill undergo a change during this encounter. Bill is initially surprised and a bit shocked at the changes he sees in his former girlfriend. He stopped at first he did not recognize her to him she looked so old. Mary at first wanted a kiss but after noting his reaction she just shook his hand. Hughes uses indirect characterization when he describes a little from came quickly between his eyes. It is obvious that bill is not very pleased with this unfolding of events. This exchange indicates that bill has moved on from this relationship whereas Mary still carries hopes of rekindling the old flame. The author skillfully utilizes narrative effects to tell more of the story surrounding this chance meeting. Hughes reveals the conflict created by age difference between his two characters. She had been older than he then in Ohio. Now she was not young at all. Bill was still young. Mary has aged but her feelings for bill has not changed

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